Coalition of Intelligent Organisms
The Coalition of Intelligent Organisms,' '''or '''CIO',' '''was the single largest organized government to emerge in the Milky Way Galaxy, and the fourth great intergalactic civilization in the recent history of The Cluster. Originally a partnership between the Humans and Vecuuri, the Coalition expanded to include a multitude of sapient species, expanding and developing incredibly quickly thanks to its incorporation of alien technologies and multiple wars. History Founding the Coalition (2300 - 2380 C.E.) The Coalition was originally a much smaller government, created with much more benign goals. It was intended to be a minor political alignment between the Humanity Doctrine and the Vecuuri, both of which were very weak in their current state. Using rudimentary interstellar propulsion methods, a Human ship discovered a deep space Vecuuri outpost, which prompted further confrontations between the two species. After much diplomacy, the "Vecuuri-Human Cooperative" was spawned, a precursor to the Coalition. Unbeknownst to the Humans, the Vecuuri had actually been hoping to make contact with another alien species for quite a while. Though never directly involved in the fighting, the Vecuuri had suffered immensely during the First Cluster War, with their great empire effectively wiped out by the negligent Kaeolians and Zetylians that had been too busy fighting each other to care about the havoc they wreaked on smaller races. Despite their very advanced technology, Vecuuri civilization struggled to recover in the wake of this destruction due to their slow rate of reproduction. In addition to this, the Second Vecuuri Empire had maintained only fragile peace with the nearby Nyuuv Commune and turbulent Tychoprian dynasties, so they were hesitant to perform superfluous expansion, especially since many of the regions of space once controlled by the First Vecuuri Empire had since been annexed by other races. Despite the comparatively primitive nature of their civilization, the Humans were vastly more ambitious and bold than the Vecuuri, and reproduced at a vastly higher rate. This made the Vecuuri realize that, given the necessary technology, the Humans could help revive Vecuuri civilization while simultaneously establishing themselves as a new interstellar power within the Spur Trinity. Although exact dates vary, it is believed the government was official dubbed the "Coalition of Intelligent Organisms" some 30-40 years after human contact with the Vecuuri was established, marking the official start of the empire's history. At this point, the Coalition had amassed significant territory centered around the Sol System, which was eventually recognized as the capital of the empire. Only 2 species had been assimilated into the Coalition: the Faaraantecs and Kloom. Despite this, populations expanded wildly, due in no small part to the rapid expansion brought on by the Vecuuri's ancient, but reliable Fold Drives. Remnant infrastructure left over from the recession of Vecuuri territory during the fall of the First Vecuuri Empire was recovered and used to accelerate the formation of new colonies across much of old Vecuuri space. However, the Vecuuri themselves were assuming only a minor role in this revitalization, as most of the expansion and innovation occurring in the Coalition was the product of the Humans. Being responsible for creating the foundations of the Coalition itself, the Humans were fabricating a legacy that would lead to their reputation as the dominant species of the Coalition, and even after other races were absorbed into their civilization, humanity still comprised the majority of the Coalition population overall. Intervention in the Zoxian-Syluxian War (2380 - 2600 C.E.) After additional expansion, the Coalition eventually discovered the Scientific Republic of Sylux, a small alien government led by the intelligent, yet timid Syluxians. For many centuries prior, the Syluxians had been embroiled in war against another group of aliens known as the Zoxians, who had formed together as the Zoxian Planetary League following their emmigration from the collapsing Slin Combine. Although the Coalition was still very much in its infancy, they quickly decided to intervene in the conflict on behalf of the Syluxians in an attempt to secure better relations with them. Syluxian technology was very advanced, and could provide the Coalition with new breakthroughs in previously overlooked fields. The Coalition government was particularly interested in their advanced graviton manipulation technology, which had the potential to revolutionize construction and manufacturing within the Coalition. Although successful in its interstellar annexation thus far, the Coalition still lacked the resources and technological capabilities needed to rapidly develop civilization on the interstellar scale. The Syluxians, on the other hand, had both of these things, but had remained a weak minor civilization due to constant attacks from the Zoxians and political tensions with the unfriendly Nyuuv Commune. The clear technological dominance the Syluxians wielded over both the Coalition and Zoxians encouraged the Coalition to pursue better relations with the Republic, and it wasn't long before they found themselves mobilizing to join the war against the Zoxians. Their efforts, luckily, were not in vain, as the Syluxians were extremely pleased to have additional military backing in the war. Although technologically superior, the overly-aggressive tactics of the Zoxians had prevented the Syluxians from gaining any sort of permanent advantage. The Coalition military was, like most other aspects of the empire, underdeveloped, but it still played an important role in securing victory for both parties against the Zoxians. Coalition forces had the advantage of being better organized than those of Zoxians or Syluxians, and they often wielded strategic advantages thanks to the skill of Human generals and tacticians. The Republic disintegrated shortly afterward as the Syluxians were officially introduced into the Coalition as a species, where they made great technological breakthroughs, especially in the fields of physics and biochemistry. First Coalition Golden Age (2600 - 4300 C.E.) The first golden age for the Coalition was marked by considerable progress in all aspects of the empire's sociology, technology and territorial expansion. During this period, advancement was largely uncontested, and the still extremely lively and efficient Coalition government was able to manage expansion and development at a rate unseen by almost any previous organized interstellar empire. As populations skyrocketed, planetary habitation was largely overshadowed by the construction of gigantic Coalition Dyson Spheres, a technological marvel that hadn't been achieved since the collapse of the Kaeolian Empire. These habitats, built around active stars, held the capacity to hold trillions of lifeforms within them, satisfying the need for sufficient growth space for most of the Coalition population. With the development of atomic transmutation and SolBores, Dyson Spheres could satisfy all of their own material and energy needs by siphoning these resources from the stars they were anchored into, giving them unparalleled industrial and economic power, and effectively rendering them the centers of all of Coalition society. Only 16 Dyson Spheres were constructed, usually around smaller red dwarf stars to minimize construction costs and time. The largest sphere in existence was the Sol Sphere, built around Earth's very own Sun, and serving as the capital of the entire Coalition. Outside of the heavily developed Coalition core zones and Dyson Spheres, however, life was much harder. Colonization during the First Coalition Golden Age was largely handled by independent organizations and parties, and was not heavily monitored by the government. Numerous moderate to small sized colonies sprouted up along the border of Coalition territory, which gradually expanded to the edge of the Orion Spur. These colonies provided a considerable portion of the Coalition's material wealth by trading with each other and offering sphere-dwellers resources not normally available on Dyson Spheres. Despite this, they were never provided major support on behalf of the government, and often had to fend for themselves against the dangers present in the unexplored regions of space. Due to its strategic position within this area of Coalition space, Kirace became the new de-facto capital of this conglomeration of smaller colonies, which was then dubbed the Kiracian Group. In terms of scientific progress, the Coalition was sublime. Alien contact had given Coalition scientists excellent insight into many concepts relating to improved energy manipulation and further refinement of their Fold Drive technology. It was around this point that energetic ballistics emerged as the standard for Coalition weaponry as opposed to traditional ballistic weapons. Energy weapons, although well-developed by the Syluxians and further improved by the discovery of the Lapidus Weapon Templates, remained mostly confined to specialist situations when such weapons were needed. Their ineffectiveness against ECA shields, the primary defense equipment of almost every Coalition war machine of that era, made them completely useless in most combat scenarios. Extragalactic Threats: The Avatars (4300 - 4500 C.E.) See Avatar Invasion Coalition Dark Age (4500 - 9000 C.E.) As the First Golden Age faded away, the pace of progress for the Coalition began to gradually slow. Excessive spending put the government in a state of considerable debt, limiting the Coalition's ability to develop and expand further. This marked the beginning of the Coalition Dark Age, characterized by rampant corruption and stagnation that hadn't been previously been experienced by anyone in the Coalition. Life for the people living on Dyson Spheres in the core zones was becoming easier and easier, leading to a stagnation in efforts to further improve life not just for them, but for all Coalition citizens. The government was becoming corrupt and inefficient, with the once steadfast Vecuuri leaders quietly disappearing as more and more of their race confined themselves to isolated, minimalist existences away from pressing matters of the state. Without the guidance of the Vecuuri, the Humans found it hard to guide the Coalition. The tragic events that usually followed any passing of new laws barred most of them from pursuing political action at all, a decision that put the empire in an even worse state. The Coalition did attempt to revitalize themselves during this time by instigating the Mhrinian-Coalition War with the Mhrinian Concordat. In addition to encouraging manufacturing and improving their economic situation, a war with the Mhrinians would give the Coalition a chance at acquiring the vast stockpiles of Ockium contained on their homeworld, which could provide considerable technological benefits. The Coalition assembled their military and made numerous unsuccessful invasions into the Mhrinian Nebula. Unfortunately for them, the advanced cloaking technology possessed by the Mhrinians and damaging ion storms present in the nebula prevented the Coalition from being very successful in the war. The Mhrinians had no interest in wiping out the Coalition, they simply wanted to be left in peace, and within only 50 years the war was unceremoniously concluded. The wartime spending made the border colonies of the Coalition very upset, as much of the materials and manpower involved in the war were taken from them by the central Coalition government. They started to believe that the Coalition no longer cared about its colonies, a thought that only grew with time Understandably, those at the bottom of the social hierarchy were very dissatisfied with how things were turning out. Many of the disenfranchised came from the backwater mining and farming colonies left on the outskirts of the core zones and in the Kiracian Group. They feared that if the Coalition suddenly ceased contact with its outer colonies and withdrew into the core zones, they would be left without any way to escape their poorly developed planets and would ultimately perish. The need for self-reliance was great, and the Coalition recognized this. This was more or less the only significant decision the Coalition government made on behalf of their outer colonies; the creation of the Kiracian Commonwealth. This minor government gave the outer colonies a chance to maintain themselves, instead of relying on the aging Coalition to do it for them. It didn't take long for the Commonwealth to gain infrastructure and stability equal to that of the Coalition. Although the Commonwealth still remained largely subservient to their parent empire, it didn't take long for them to realize the Coalition would inevitably become inferior if it continued to decline. The Coalition, on the other hand, became increasingly worried about the strength of the Commonwealth, fearing they might try to overthrow their creators. Both parties started rapid, yet secretive military buildup during this time, as well as numerous spying and espionage endeavors. This went largely over the public's head in both governments, though many private companies, especially those that were secretly developing prototype technologies, were employed to help government affairs. Needless to say, it was a very tense political situation, even if the average Commonwealth or Coalition citizen could not see it up front. The pressure wore down the patience of both governments more and more, until finally, in 9025, disaster struck. Revolution! (9025 - 9500 C.E.) See Galactic Revolution Revolutionary Aftermath and the Second Coalition Golden Age (9500 - 11000 C.E.) Despite what many would think, the Coalition emerged from the Galactic Revolution stronger than ever. The series of minor wars they had fought during the revolution had hardened their military extraordinarily, and their citizens had once again been reminded of the importance of protecting and serving their empire. This, combined with numerous scientific achievements prompted by the war, returned the Coalition to its original strength, and began a second golden age for the empire. This time, the Coalition was not just regaining the strength it once had, but also preparing for its first steps outside the MWG. This was only made possible by the groundbreaking development of the first Fissure Drive by Mux Formera, an FTL system that made intergalactic travel finally feasible. Although they technically had the capability to colonize any part of The Cluster that they wanted, Coalition territory expanded little during this time, with most of their resources focused on improving the infrastructure of the devastated outer regions where most of the conflict during the revolution had taken place. Any further attempts at expansion were immediately halted when the Coalition made contact with their second extragalactic species, the Aanom. After being disturbed within their ancient vaults, the Aanom awoke and immediately began attacking Coalition explorers in Andromeda, triggering the most brutal conflict in the Coalition's entire history. The War To End All Wars (11000 - 13500 C.E.) See Second Cluster War False Peace (13500 - 14500 C.E.) The aftermath of the Second Cluster War seemed, to the inhabitants of the Coalition, to be one of the most peaceful periods of the civilization's entire history. The creation of the Galactic Assembly promoted mutual cooperation between the Ghuldashi, Aanom and Coalition citizens, which led to numerous technological developments that greatly improved the efficiency of Coalition society. However, despite all of its political involvement, the Coalition retained its individual sovereignty. Neither the Ghuldashi nor the Aanom were incorporated as official races of the Coalition, and any technological developments the Coalition gained through the Galactic Assembly were carefully monitored and controlled by their own scientific institutions. The manipulation of said technologies by corporate entities limited the benefits they afforded to the Coalition's disenfranchised and impoverished citizens, which ensured the rigid social hierarchy the Coalition had maintained up until this point would continue to exist, even though the most drastic effects of this hierarchy could have been alliviated through technology. What many in the Coalition, and the intergalactic community at large, didn't know was that this peace would be very short lived. Hidden away under the surface of Zetylu, Tixax was nearing the end of its life, soon to be killed off by an irreversible flaw in its design. Upon its death, the tight grip Tixax had maintained on the pocket dimension where Red Six Trillion was held was immediately lost, allowing the Vuokra to instantly emerge back into The Cluster and continue their vicious onslaught. Though the Galactic Assembly had a large defense fleet, and the Coalition itself was still heavily militarized, the combined forces of The Cluster were unable to defeat the radically superior Vuokra armada, and were absolutely annihilated in the apocalyptic Second Vuokra Invasion. Technology Despite being formed partially from one of the most technologically advanced species in MWG, the Coalition remained somewhat behind other MWG races in terms of technological supremacy for a large chunk of their history. Although the Vecuuri were highly advanced, the state they were in when discovered by the Humans was a far cry from the original strength of their empire. Most advanced Vecuuri technology had been lost or fragmented during the chaos they faced in the First Cluster War, so what they had to offer to the Human race was limited. Even their Fold Drive technology, which seemed revolutionary to mankind, was very old and degraded compared to the Fold Drives once used by the Vecuuri for interstellar travel. The Coalition did become a true juggernaut of industry later in its development, a factor that greatly aided it during the Second Cluster War, but its technology did not undergo major changes following the Second Coalition Golden Age. One of the greatest technological achievements of the Coalition are their Dyson Spheres and other hyper-scale constructions. These were theoretical concepts at first, but they became feasible with large-scale graviton manipulation technologies developed by the Syluxians. SolBores, a recently rediscovered Vecuuri tech, allowed Dyson Spheres to siphon their own energy and materials from the stars they were built around, making the installations further self sufficient. Dyson Sphere technology was repurposed during the second Cluster War with the development of Hypercruisers, planet sized starships that had uncontested durability and firepower. The Coalition thus holds the record for being the only post-First Cluster War empire to build ships on such a scale. Aside from this, the Coalition also made major strides in the field of robotics and AI. Robotic servants had been in use by the Humans even before contact with the Vecuuri, after which robotic technologies surged due to their importance within many industrial fields, especially those commonly considered dangerous to living beings. True AI existed very early on in Coalition history, as well, though it was never mass produced or used in any large numbers. This was mainly because most fully sentient AIs of the time were limited by their hardware and could not physically adapt to situations. The amorphous, constantly-changing nature of ILMs fixed this problem, and as a result, they became widespread later in the Coalition's history, especially during the Second Cluster War, as they were some of the only beings able to effectively manage all of the systems aboard massive Coalition Hypercruisers. This also made the Coalition the only major civilization that experimented with cyborganic engineering following the collapse of the Zetylian Hegemony. Regrettably, most Coalition technology was not the product of their own scientific progress, but that of other alien races they fell into contact with. This is evidenced very clearly with certain commonplace Coalition technologies that had actually been developed by minor alien races inhabiting the MWG long before the Coalition. High-density lasers (from the Lapidus), non-EM shielding (from the Nyuuvians) and miniaturized fusion (from the Syluxians) are all examples of technologies the Coalition did not technically develop itself. Although these technologies were later refined and improved by imperial scientists, they often lost much of the original splendor and design they had when first created by their respective races. Government Legislature Coalition legislature is, unsurprisingly, only partially democratic. Most lawmaking and major political decisions are carried out by the '''Species Council', a large parliament comprised of representatives from every alien race currently part of the Coalition, built at the north pole of the Sol Dyson Sphere. Each race gets 1 representative in the council, elected every 10 years from any members of that race currently running for the position. Any member of a race can run for council representative, but usually only very influential figures manage to get the position. Coalition citizens of a certain race can only vote for their own race's council representative (so a Syluxian, for instance, can only vote for the Syluxian council representative of their choice, not for the representative of any other race). A representative can run again, but not consecutively. They must wait at least 1 term before running for council position once more. Commonly, representatives are aided by numerous advisors, who are not official politicians so much as they are highly influential members of that representative's race. Representative advisors are still heavily depended on in the Coalition political dynamic to help representatives make important decisions about the role of their species in the Coalition. The Species Council holds considerable power in Coalition politics, but it is not without its limits. Any representative can petition a new law to be passed, usually based on concerns voiced by their advisors or the general public. When a law is petitioned, it must have approval from more than 50% of the other Species Council representatives to proceed up the political hierarchy. Representatives can choose whether or not to support a new law completely of their own accord, but often they check with their advisors or the public when making this decision. If a law does not receive approval from more than 50% of the representatives, it is automatically vetoed. If it receives enough approval, it moves on to the Founder Council. In addition, Species Council representatives can be impeached from their position by a similar process. If another council member, or one of the representative's advisors, is not pleased with their performance, they can petition to impeach the representative. A vote is then held for both that representative's general public race and for the rest of the council representatives whether or not to impeach them. If more than 50% of both parties vote yes, the impeachment proceeds. If either party fails this requirement, it does not. This means that even if a representative is despised by the rest of the council, they can still avoid impeachment provided their race does not share the same feelings. The Species Council also balances the Coalition's budget and chooses whether or not to declare war on foreign civilizations, though these processes still require majority vote and must then be approved by the Founder Council to pass through the Coalition's political machine. The Founder Council is the second major Coalition political body, held inside the Founder Temple on Earth. This council is far smaller than the Species Council in that it only holds representatives from the Humans and Vecuuri, the designated "Founders" of the Coalition. A total of 5 Human representatives and 5 Vecuuri representatives comprise the council at any given time, serving for their entire lives. The process for electing new council members varies between Humans and Vecuuri. For the Humans, an empire-wide vote is held for all species to determine a new council member when one of the current members dies. Like the Species Council, any Human can run for a place in the Founder Council. The only stipulation is that they must have served at least 1 term as a Species Council representative. For the Vecuuri, it is vastly different. The Vecuuri royal family (who, although holding no real political power, are still deeply respected by the Vecuuri) choose one of their own who they believe uphold Vecuuri beliefs best and officially indoctrinate them as a member of the Founder Council. It is a little understood ceremony that few but the Vecuuri have ever held witness to, though it is believed to have been derived from the process the Vecuuri used to select new leaders before contact with mankind. When decisions and laws make it through the Species Council, it is the Founder Council that decides whether or not to enact them. Unlike Species Council representatives, Founder Council representatives do not necessarily have to consult people outside the council for advice, and rarely do they have advisors. In order for the law to pass, at least 3 Human representatives and 3 Vecuuri representatives must approve it. If this is not the case, the law is automatically vetoed. Unlike the Species Council, Founder Council representatives cannot be impeached. They are somewhat above the law, as well, though they will still be tried for major crimes and will automatically lose their position if found guilty in these cases. Obviously, there are ways this government system has been exploited in the past. Since the Human race occupies positions in both the Species and Founder council, they hold considerably more leverage in Coalition politics than most other alien species. Bribery and rumor-spreading also became rampant during the Coalition's degradation era, as many members of the Species Council actively attempted to get other representatives impeached in order to further their own agendas. Many large companies also wielded power in Coalition politics, using similar methods to ensure their interests were being served by council representatives. Corruption largely avoided the Founder Council, mostly due to its distance and small size, but there were occasional events of backstabbing and trickery, especially from impatient Humans seeking to secure their place as a representative. Although the Second Coalition Golden Age cleaned up the government considerably, it was never rendered totally immune to corruption, and events like these continued to occur well into the Second Cluster War. Military and Law Enforcement The Coalition military is divided into three primary sections, the Coalition Invasion Corps, Coalition Navy and Department of Experimental Warfare. The Invasion Corps handles all planetary combat, and includes all normal infantry and planetary vehicle branches of the military. The Navy is responsible for all space combat, and as a result, is the largest and most well-renowned section of the Coalition military. Lastly, there is the DEW (Department of Experimental Warfare). Technically, the DEW is a branch of Coalition research, handling all military research done for the government. While it operates in a similar fashion to the Department of Galactic Sciences, the DEW is unique in that it has the authority to deploy any military assets it develops independent of the other branches of the Coalition military. Most of the time, it is the Coalition government itself that requests the deployment of experimental weapons by the DEW into particularly difficult conflicts. The Spartacus Prototype, as well as E-Guns and the controversial Talos Regiment program, were all projects handled by the DEW. Being separate institutions with separate hierarchies of command, the Coalition military is not strictly controlled by the government, and is allowed to use whatever force they deem necessary to destroy the Coalition's enemies. They are required to fight the Coalition's wars and have to obey specific commands given by the government, but beyond that, they are free to do as they wish. Typically, the Navy patrols Coalition borders while the Invasion Corps provide support for the Authority Sector on distant border worlds. The military, like any branch of the Coalition, is expected to be on its best behavior most of the time, as the government controls its funding and will penalize it if it under-performs. Law enforcement for the Coalition is handled by the Authority Sector, which includes the Galactic Police '''and '''AEUs (Accelerated Evolution Units). The Galactic Police handle law enforcement on heavily monitored Coalition core worlds and Dyson Spheres, and patrol most of Coalition territory to act as maritime law enforcement for all of Coalition space. The GP use the same technology as the Coalition military, but due to their nature as a police force, there are restrictions on the size and power level of the military assets they are allowed to deploy. Like branches of the military, the GP aren't tightly controlled by the government, having even more freedom than the military when it comes to doing their job. This had led to them becoming slightly overzealous in their persecution of criminals, especially those that are affiliated with large criminal organizations, such as the Steel Syndicate or Havoc. It is not uncommon for these crime syndicates to engage in minor warfare with the GP, who, though they have the resources to, never completely destroy these syndicates as they serve an important economic purpose for the Coalition through their copious purchase of weapons and ships. AEUs are a division of the GP that specialize in maintaining authority on planets with newly encountered alien races. In addition to indoctrinating newly encountered species into Coalition culture, AEUs suppress potential revolts and inform the GP or Coalition military of any changes that might require the use of more intense military force. The Coalition also have a small espionage agency, known as the Blue Hand. A very secretive organization, the Blue Hand operates in close association with the mysterious Bedlam Society, acting in their interests. It is responsible for identifying and eliminating potential threats to Coalition security, either internal or external, that are overlooked by the GP or military. Due to its small size and disconnection from the government, the Coalition public are completely unaware of its existence. The Blue Hand is also privately funded by the Bedlam Society, which means they can choose to withhold information from the upper levels of the Coalition government if they desire. Research All non-military research for the Coalition government is carried out by the Coalition's Department of Galactic Sciences, a gigantic science combine that incorporates nearly every field of research under a single, unified organization. New technologies developed by the DGS are considered Coalition public property, and are distributed to all appropriate manufacturers as well as government-owned manufacturing complexes for use by the entire Coalition populace. Independent corporations can make use of research done by the DGS in any way that they wish, though there are government regulations on certain highly-important technologies (such as Fold Drives) that corporations must follow when creating products that use these technologies. Though the DGS must answer to any research requests made by the Coalition government, they are allowed a certain degree of freedom otherwise. Most of the time, to acquire extra funding, the DGS lets private companies access their scientific resources. Being a government-funded organization, the DGS has access to more and better research equipment than most large tech companies, who often pay the DGS hefty sums to make use of these resources and develop new company products. Since these scientific transactions are done outside of normal research, the companies that benefit from them don't have to follow normal Coalition regulations on DGS-developed technologies, and can market them however they like. Companies usually remove any traces of DGS involvement in the creation of new products so they can boast about inventing the products themselves, though the DGS usually takes a small share of their sales as compensation. Culture Coalition culture, if it can be described as such, is hardly something to praise. It is invasive and ultra-materialistic, with no defining values that people can use to live meaningful lives. As a result, most of the Coalition's citizens are cynical and nihilistic, assuming they have the free time and spare currency to devote to intellectual pursuits, or that they haven't been indoctrinated by propaganda. Although several alien ideologies have conflicted with this, most of them have been forcibly indoctrinated into the empire's belief system through the use of the Coalition's efficient AEU dispatches. This practice highlights a critical portion of the Coalition's value system: the belief that the Coalition alone is the greatest spaceborne government in existence. Although it isn't often outwardly present, a striking majority of Coalition citizens harbor a form of ultra-nationalism for their empire, instilled on them from a young age. While the Coalition welcomes all alien races that wish to join their empire, they often become extremely hostile towards species that reject this proposition. While this does not always result in war, species guilty of this often are not recognized as true Coalition citizens, and are treated accordingly. This was the case with both the Zoxians and, later on, the Mhrinians who, although sometimes residing within Coalition territory, are still very much outcasts from society. This nationalism isn't often present outside of the Coalition core zones, however, as disenfranchised colonists often see the wealthier sphere-dwellers as corrupt and bureaucratic, a stereotype that political corruption and overzealous police forces do nothing to weaken. Aside from this, most alien members of the Coalition are free to practice whatever religions or non-intrusive ceremonial activities they wish. As long as it does not directly interfere with the general order of society, it is permitted under edicts guaranteeing the religious and cultural independence of alien races (as long as they are a part of the Coalition, of course). That is not to say, however, that certain invisible privileges are granted to certain species. Humans, in particular, enjoy the benefits of having more political representation, and often make up the majority of the populations of Coalition Dyson Spheres. There is a very clear distinction between the "aristocrat" and "colonist" type of aliens in the Coalition, a division that was made even clearer during the Galactic Revolution, when several alien species defected to the Kiracian Commonwealth in response to the low status they had in society before. The Coalition employs a monetary system as well, standardizing an energy backed currency known as MUUs (Monetary Unification Units) for its citizens. This was intended to help manage economic activity between the overdeveloped Core Zones and underdeveloped outer colonies, as the Coalition colonies with Dyson Sphere atomic transmutation really had no limits to their material wealth, while the outer colonies often struggled to manufacture even basic products. MUUs standardize the prices of certain goods based on their "energy values" or how much energy is typically expended in the process of creating/harvesting different items. As a result, transmutation-made items like food or building materials are usually more expensive than those crafted traditionally, though they are much better quality than their counterparts. Being a digital currency, the Founder Council solely controls the value of MUUs through an extremely advanced artificial intelligence known as MIDAS, which analyzes almost all transactions made and alters the Coalition economy and adjusts prices as in order to keep it stable. This gives the Founder Council uncontested leverage over almost all other subdivisions of the Coalition government, as they all rely upon the funding provided by the Founder Council. Since MUUs are a standardized currency, the Coalition can avoid economic problems such as inflation that are common among free market economies. The Coalition guarantees a Universal Basic Income to its citizens, as well, though any income they accumulate outside of this is taxed. Both UBI and government taxes are distributed/collected through the TIIRNET, so isolated colonies usually don't benefit from Coalition UBI, though they are still taxed in the form of routine raw material confiscation by government officials. In reality, the Coalition's economy is very oppressive towards those that reside in the lower tiers of society, as perpetually high taxes and an insufficient UBI entrap many in a system of constant work and struggle. __FORCETOC__ Category:Major Civilizations Category:Cobalt Epoch